Monday, January 26, 2015

Today in History for Jan. 26, 2015

General Ambrose Burnside

Jan. 26, 1500 - Vicente Yáñez Pinzón discovered Brazil by
becoming the first European to set foot on Brazil.

Jan. 26, 1779 - In Savannah, Ga., a group of Patriots met at
the Burke County Jail. Later they engaged in a skirmish with Loyalists on the
banks of the McIntosh Creek. (Engagement at Burke County Jail)

Jan. 26, 1837 - Michigan became the 26th state to join the
United States.

Jan. 26, 1839 - Alabama's first state prison was established
by legislative act. In 1842, at the Wetumpka State Penitentiary, the state's
first inmate began serving time for harboring a runaway slave. The first female
was incarcerated in 1850 for murder. Today, the Alabama Department of
Corrections oversees a multi-facility state prison system.

Jan. 26, 1861 - Louisiana became the sixth state to secede
from the Union. The state convention voted 113 to 17 in favor of the measure.

Jan. 26, 1863 – During the Civil War, General Ambrose
Burnside was relieved of command of the Army of the Potomac after the
disastrous Fredericksburg campaign. He was replaced by Joseph Hooker.

Jan. 26, 1863 – During the Civil War, Governor of
Massachusetts John Albion Andrew received permission from Secretary of War to
raise a militia organization for men of African descent.

Jan. 26, 1870 - The state of Virginia rejoined the Union.

Jan. 26, 1879 – Dr. William R. Strode, 46, died at Perdue
Hill, Ala. Born in Culpepper County, Va. in 1833, he graduated from the Medical
College of Philadelphia in 1853. He served as a surgeon in the Confederate Army
and married Mary Gorin of Monroe County in October 1870.

Jan. 26, 1885 – The Monroe Journal reported that “a
gentleman from Canada, who has been prospecting in the northern part of our
county, with a view to a home in our delightful climate, expresses himself as
being very much pleased.”

Jan. 26, 1905 – The Monroe Journal reported that the
Monroeville Library would be ready to open its doors to the public in a few
days. “Nice rooms have been neatly fitted up in the old court house and a
choice collection of standard works covering a wide range of literature
gathered for the entertainment and instruction of patrons.” Miss Mann was the
librarian.

Jan. 26, 1915 – The Rocky Mountain National Park was
established by an act of the U.S. Congress.

Jan. 26, 1915 – Liston A. Hixon passed away at his home in
Monroeville, Ala. on this Tuesday night. A former farmer and merchant, he was about
63 years old. He was buried in Hamilton Hill Cemetery.

Jan. 26, 1918 – During World War I, Army Pvt. Adrien F.
Hardy of Brewton, Ala. was killed in action.

Jan. 26, 1919 – William E. Molett was born in Orrville, Ala. He
would go on to graduate from Evergreen High School and then joined the
military, became a master navigator, recorded 6,000 hours as an aircraft
navigator, including 91 flights over the North Pole. He also taught polar
aviation for three years and returned as a Lt. Col. in the Air Force. In 1996,
he wrote a book called “Robert Peary and Matthew Henson at the North Pole.”

Jan. 26, 1966 - The most notorious unsolved crime in
Australian history took place, when three children went missing while on a trip
to Glenelg Beach near Adelaide, South Australia. The case saw numerous twists
and turns, including failed input from psychics and a series of hoaxed letters alleged
to have come from the missing Beaumont children.

Jan. 26, 1979 - The first episode of "The Dukes of
Hazzard" aired on CBS.

Jan. 26, 1983 - Alabamians were shocked and saddened when
retired University of Alabama football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant died suddenly
from a heart attack. Bryant began coaching at Alabama in 1958 and went on to
win six national championships with the team. In 1981 he became football's
"winningest" coach with 315 victories.

Jan. 26, 1986 - In New Orleans, La., the Chicago Bears
scored a Super Bowl record number of points to defeat the New England Patriots,
46-10, and win their first championship since 1963.

Jan. 26, 1989 – The Andalusia (Ala.) Commercial Historic District
was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Jan. 26, 1997 - ZZ Top, James Brown and the Blues Brothers
performed at the Super Bowl XXXI halftime show. The Green Bay Packers won,
35-21, over the New England Patriots. It was the third Super Bowl win for the
Packers.

Jan. 26, 2003 - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the
Oakland Raiders, 48-21, in Super Bowl XXXVII. Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden became
the youngest coach to ever win a Super Bowl. It was the first Super Bowl
appearance for the Buccaneers.

Jan. 26, 2004 – A whale exploded in the town of Tainan,
Taiwan. A build-up of gas in the decomposing sperm whale was suspected of
causing the explosion.